The Anaheim Ducks fully knew they’d have their hands full returning to the Scotiabank Saddledome — two weeks to the day after they’d been smacked 7-2 by the rebuilding Calgary Flames.

Wednesday night?

Different score, different result. But the same hard fought effort from the home side.

The Flames had a 2-1 lead heading into the second period until Anaheim’s Mathieu Perreault managed to out-battle Calgary defenceman Ladislav Smid in front of Karri Ramo to tie the action 5:32 into the third period.

Then, with 5:19 remaining, Ramo had stopped a Stephane Robidas slapshot but couldn’t answer Andrew Cogliano on the rebound.

Considering their last game against the Flames, the Ducks knew heading in that they’d have to claw for a 3-2 victory on Wednesday.

“They work hard, first of all,” Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau had been saying earlier in the day. “They’re well-coached, second. And third, they’ve got skill that people don’t know about.”

“Their defence is good — they’re mobile and they’re good — and they’re getting good goaltending,” said Boudreau. “I mean, they’re playing well. Their rebuild is not far away.”

And they certainly gave the playoff-bound Ducks a scare.

The Flames battled until the final buzzer — their 44th one-goal game — and had a last-ditch effort which was a six-on-four (Saku Koivu in the box; Ramo on the bench).

But, from the opening 20 minutes, the game was tighter-checking and lower scoring than the last time the two teams faced.

An early dust-up between Kevin Westgarth and the dearly departed Tim Jackman — a decision that would go to the former Flames good-guy — set the tone. Ramo had calmed down the line of Andrew Cogliano, Koivu, and Jakob Silfverberg while the defence kept Teemu Selanne to the outside and contained Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf.

The Flames — who’d scored four first-period goals on March 12 — had some nice chances between Mike Cammalleri and Paul Byron. Sean Monahan and Lance Bouma were also close with just under five minutes left.

However, they got into trouble when Ladislav Smid was dinged for checking to the head on Jackman (both were racing for the puck and, unfortunately for Smid, the result was Jackman’s face being smushed into the glass).

There were only 20 seconds left on Smid’s penalty — and 1:03 remaining in the first period — when Nick Bonino dangled through centre, around Flames defenceman T.J. Brodie, and beat Ramo glove-side.

Luckily, Ramo was just getting warmed up.

The second period, the incumbent resident Finn saved the day on an early Mark Giordano penalty, making a particularly nice save on Getzlaf.

Midway through, he made a solid point-blank stop on Rickard Rakell who had been fed by Perry from the top of the circle.

Immediately after, he made a stop on defenceman Bryan Allen. Then, Ramo denied a desperate Jackman, digging in front. The “Ramo, Ramo” cheers caught on shortly after that.

Another fan favourite, Brian McGrattan, also deserved praise. Playing his 300th NHL game, it would only be fitting that he would knot the score in the second frame. The Flames tough-guy got a piece of Tyler Wotherspoon’s point shot, an offering that also went off Westgarth.

With 25.5 seconds left in the middle frame, Calgary took a 2-1 lead when Smid faked a shot and passed it to Hudler who beat Jonas Hiller on a slapshot.

Before that, Ramo had made the biggest save of the period — and maybe the evening — when he produced a blocker on Perry then, impressively, contained the rebound which had nearly bounced in off Brodie.

Just the kind of thing that gives a defender a strong appreciation for the man behind them.

“Those Finnish guys are tough to read because they’re so calm and quiet — yet their compete level is extremely high,” Chris Butler had been saying at the morning skate. “He enjoys the game.

“He loves being at the rink.”

In the end, Ramo, making his third start after missing 15 with a knee injury, turned aside 31 of 34 shots while Hiller faced 34 shots from the Flames.

ICE CHIPS . . . In what was very likely Selanne’s last appearance at the Saddledome, the Flames video crew compiled a montage of his best highlights and played it halfway through the first period . . . A nice touch: the crowd offered a solid round of applause and a standing ovation — one of the biggest on the Selanne farewell tour. Clearly moved, the veteran Finn gave a nod and wave from the visitors’ bench . . . The Flames scratched LW Kenny Agostino and RW Ben Hanowski while T.J. Galiardi drew in . . . D Ladislav Smid absorbed a Luca Sbisa shot in the third period, holding his wrist/forearm area, and had to be attended to by the trainers. He was back a few shifts later.

The New York Rangers pay a visit Friday (7 p.m., Sportsnet, Sportsnet 960 The FAN) before the Flames embark on a five-game road trip through the Eastern Conference.

— Sheldon Smith, Calgary Herald

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Hard-working Flames give Ducks all they can handle but can’t ground flying Anaheim visitors this time

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